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Latin Music Thrives Globally Without English, CEO Claims

7/2/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Manuel Abud, Latin Recording Academy CEO, said at the 2026 Golden Melody Festival in Taiwan that Latin music can succeed without English.
He cited Ricky Martin’s 1999 Grammy performance and Luis Fonsi’s 2017 “Despacito” as proof Spanish songs can break worldwide.
He reported streaming now reaches nearly 900 million listeners worldwide, generates billions for the Latin market, and will depend on cross-cultural collaborations for future growth.

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Story summary

Manuel Abud, Latin Recording Academy CEO, said at the 2026 Golden Melody Festival in Taiwan that Latin music can succeed without English.
He cited Ricky Martin’s 1999 Grammy performance and Luis Fonsi’s 2017 “Despacito” as proof Spanish songs can break worldwide.
He reported streaming now reaches nearly 900 million listeners worldwide, generates billions for the Latin market, and will depend on cross-cultural collaborations for future growth.